Nursing mothers who express their breast milk for later use often find themselves inconvenienced by the need to support a breast milk collection device with their hands while it operates. (As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cbreast milk collection devicexe2x80x9d refers to any apparatus suitable for collecting expressed breast milk, e.g., an assembly that includes a suction cup, receiving tube, Venturi channel, and milk bottle.) Attempting to xe2x80x9cdouble pumpxe2x80x9d typically requires both hands, one for a collection device at each breast, which leaves a nursing mother with little way to accomplish any other tasks or even read during the lengthy process.
Various xe2x80x9chands freexe2x80x9d breast pumping arrangements have been developed, but they are far from being ideal solutions to the problem. For example, the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,247,996 to Fields requires the user to wear a special bra that serves as a support harness for the collection devices. For a manufacturer of breast pumping devices to provide such a specially designed undergarment raises challenges, especially since women wear bras of many different styles and sizes. Typically, women purchase bras in a retail store environment where they can ensure a correct fit and select the style that appeals to them, often with the assistance of trained sales personnel. They may not be eager to purchase such a personal item of clothing from an equipment manufacturer, especially without having the opportunity to try it on beforehand.
Accordingly, nursing mothers still need a convenient, effective, hands-free way to support one or two breast milk collection devices while expressing milk, without resorting to any garment or undergarment other than what they would ordinarily wear.
A breast milk expression system according to various aspects of the present invention conveniently and effectively supports a pair of breast milk collection devices at the breasts of a nursing mother, allowing her to express breast milk while keeping her hands free for other tasks. Advantageously, no special bra or other garment is required to provide support for the collection devices. The system includes a bar, a strap, and a pair of breast milk collection device connectors. The bar is comprised of a length of substantially rigid material, embodied in one or several distinct structures fabricated from such material, which connects two points on the material. Each connector secures to the bar near a respective one of these points.
The strap is comprised of a length of slender, flexible support material. The length of strap material is significantly greater than the length of the bar material. The strap is secured to the bar, with a point at or near each end of the strap connected to a point at or near each end of the bar. This arrangement permits the holder to form a loop k from one end of the bar to the other. Advantageously, the strap can suspend from a nursing mother""s neck, thereby suspending the breast milk collection devices near the nursing mother""s breasts to express milk from them.
According to a more particular aspect of the invention, the pair of connectors can include a pair of releasable retaining structures. Each of these structures can releasably secure a breast milk collection device to the bar. In a particularly advantageous configuration, the structures each include a J-shaped hook comprised of a length of slender, substantially rigid material. The hook has an arc that is approximately or exactly semicircular and first and second straight portions that are parallel to each other and at opposite ends of the arc. Each structure further includes a cap, of size comparable to an average human thumb width, that has in one of its sides a recess of suitable size to receive an end part of the first straight portion. Further included in each of the structures is a compression spring sized to fit over the first straight portion.
The first straight portion of the hook passes through a first hole in the bar, through the spring, and into the recess of the cap. The second straight portion of the hook is shorter than the first and passes through a second hole in the bar. In this configuration, simple thumb pressure on the cap can release the hook""s shorter second straight portion from the bar""s second hole, freeing the longer first straight portion to swivel in the bar""s first hole. Thus, an intuitive and straightforward release mechanism is provided.
The above summary does not include an exhaustive list of all aspects of the present invention. Indeed, the inventor contemplates that the invention includes all systems and methods that can be practiced from all suitable combinations of the various aspects summarized above, as well as those disclosed in the detailed description below and particularly pointed out in the claims filed with the application. Such combinations have particular advantages not specifically recited in the above summary.